[63] Is it of no moment to be able to express our thoughts
quickly and easily? Does it help the Bavarian peasant-boy to comprehend
the fact of the sun's rising over his native hills, that ten consonants,
in the poetic word morgenlandisch have to travel through his mind?
These things may be considered by many of slight importance, and that
if they are wrong, they are not very easily remedied; but in
architecture and costume we have the remedy in our own hands. Why--it
may be asked in conclusion--do we cling to costume, and prize so much
the old custom of distinctive dress? Because it bears upon its forehead
the mark of truth; because, humble or noble, it is at least, what it
appears to be; because it gives a silent but clear assurance (in these
days so sadly needed) that a man's position in life is what he makes it
appear to be; that, in short, there is nothing behind the scenes,
nothing to be discovered or hunted out. It is the relic of a really
'good old time,' when a uniform or a badge of office was a mark of
honour, when the _bourgeoisie_ were proud of their simple estate, and
domestic service was indeed what its name implies. We cling to costume
and regret its disappearance, when (to use a familiar illustration) we
compare the French _bonne_ in a white cap, with her English
contemporary with a chignon and the airs of 'my lady.'
But distinctive costumes, like the old buildings, are disappearing
everywhere, and with them even the traditions seem to be dying out.
Pages:
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160